Wat Ku Time and Tide
Wat Ku: A Temple of Time and Tide
(This is a kind of reminiscing for the author who has been visiting this wonderful temple for more than 30 years.)
The Walk In
The first thing you notice when approaching Wat Ku is the entrance itself. Unlike many temples in Thailand that welcome you through a grand, soaring archway, Wat Ku (officially: Wat Ku Phra Nang Ruea Lom) stands behind a pair of simple but large gold and white aluminium gates, and white walls.
Once you’re inside, the next thing you won’t miss is the huge 43 meter long reclining Buddha on your left, that’s only 3 meters less than the more famous one at Wat Pho in Bangkok!
While it has a roof to protect it from the harsh Thai climate, it’s open on all sides giving a clear view and easy access for those paying respects and making merit.
Behind it is a notable historical relic, which I’ll talk about later.
After visiting this spot, you then realise just how big the compound is. It’s a sprawling place, and surprisingly, you can’t see the river behind it right away.
You have to walk past the many gleaming buildings and the statues for a bit before the mighty Chao Phraya finally opens up about 100 meters ahead.
When you do get there, though, it hits you. That river was the lifeblood of this place back in the day. It was the highway for invasion, trade and travel, and the temple grew up right alongside it, with deep roots going back to 1752 CE.
It has a strong Mon cultural vibe you can still see in the older buildings and murals, and that cultural root is found across the local area, including the nearby Koh Kred.
But if you ask anyone here, the story they’ll tell you first isn’t about the monks or the architecture, it’s about tragedy.
The Tragedy of a Queen
Many know the sad story of Queen Sunandha Kumariratana, the beloved wife of King Rama V.
At the time she was pregnant and had her young daughter with her. En route by boat to Bang Pa-in Palace, they drowned in the river right here in 1880 CE, in a terrible accident when the Royal Barge they were travelling in sank.
It’s a heartbreaking tale, made even sadder by an ancient law that meant commoners couldn’t touch the Queen or her children, on pain of death, even to save them. That moment of helplessness turned this quiet riverside spot into a place of deep national sorrow.
The temple was renamed as a reminder of that tragic day, although its full name is rarely used.
A beautiful but haunting wooden shrine to the Queen and her children stood on the river’s edge for many long years, with local people hinting at a wandering spirit in the vicinity.
Even today, standing there looking at the water, the air feels a little heavier, like the memory of that day is still in the air.
An Unusual Sanctuary
Before the big flood in 2011 that devastated much of Thailand, Wat Ku had a very special, and quite unusual, side to it.
Years ago, the temple took in unwanted animals that had deformities – things you wouldn’t usually see in a temple yard.
I remember seeing cows with five legs, and a calf with two heads, as well as other animals with oddities that might have been rejected by local farmers or dairies.
But here’s the thing: it wasn’t a gruesome show or a freak attraction. It was pure compassion. The temple cared for these animals, and the locals would come to feed them as a way of making merit. It was a quiet, gentle act of kindness.
People didn’t stare or laugh; they just treated these creatures with respect, knowing that caring for them was a good deed. It gave the whole place a feeling of warmth and acceptance that you don’t always find in such historic sites.
It’s a shame that era is gone now, swept away along with the riverside shrine in a huge flood. But for those of us who remember it, it’s a beautiful part of Wat Ku’s story – a reminder that even in a place marked by tragedy, there was room for gentle, everyday mercy.
The Flood and the New Reality
When that big flood did hit in 2011, it was a massive national catastrophe, and for Wat Ku it was a turning point. The river, which had been the temple’s lifeblood for centuries, suddenly became its biggest threat.
The floodwaters swept away the riverside shrine to the Queen and her children. That spot had such a distinct feeling, a special energy that was hard to describe, but it was gone in an instant.
The raging waters also badly damaged one of the oldest of the temple’s buildings, the one with some wonderful, historic Mon style murals, but reports say it has been repaired and restored.
Sadly, an even older Bot eventually collapsed as it had been seriously damaged in an earlier flood, this latest huge flood was the final straw, taking an important piece of the temple’s culture and history with it.
Revival
But Wat Ku didn’t give up. Life went on, and the temple adapted. A new, larger shrine to the Queen, in the form of a palace, was built further back from the river, safer from the risky waters.
It’s bigger now, but it doesn’t have that same intimate connection to the water’s edge that the original one did.
And that historical relic I mentioned earlier? Behind the impressive reclining Buddha, initially out of sight, is the very Royal Barge that sank opposite Wat Ku. I should say “the remains of”, but it is still quite a sight, and considered sacred by locals.
Life Goes On
The temple is still active, still serving the community, but it feels different. It’s a place of survival, where the scars of the flood are visible alongside the newer but still beautiful buildings.
Walking through it now, you can see the layers: the old Mon roots, the royal tragedy, the loss from the flood, and the new buildings rising up to replace what was lost.
It’s not the same Wat Ku I remember from years ago, but it’s still a powerful place, carrying its history forward even after the river tried to wash it away.
Why Visit Wat Ku?
Because it’s worth it, and off the tourist track, and because it has a unique story to tell and a different vibe to most other temples.
It helps that very nearby are a couple of other interesting places, a stunning riverside hotel built like a fortress, and Suan Thip, a Michelin starred restaurant set in lovely waterside gardens.
Koh Kret is not far away too, which is a huge tourist attraction with its Mon heritage, potteries, and ethnic food, but it can get crowded.
Wat Ku, on the other hand, feels like a hidden gem. Most of the visitors here are Thai locals, which gives the place a genuine, peaceful atmosphere that’s hard to find in the more touristy areas.
So, if you want to see a temple that’s not just about instagram, but about memory, resilience, and a quiet kind of beauty, give Wat Ku a visit.
Walk through the gates, find the hidden barge, and maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll feel that same sense of peace I remember from the days before the flood. It’s a place that stays with you long after you leave.
When you’re done, go back to the area under the big bridge where you jumped on that songtaew (see below), and sit and watch the activity by the river. Look for the small decorated passenger boats apparently moving aimlessly around with half a dozen or more people in black on board, some with large white bags.
Perhaps I shouldn’t tell you what they’re doing…
Nonthaburi province, which Pakkred is a part of, could be considered Bangkok’s little brother but for a small province next to the big city, it’s a heavy hitter when it comes to fascinating places to visit.
It’s well served by the river services, the BTS, and the MRT. A little research on places to go might surprise you!
Getting to Wat Ku:
Take the Chao Phraya Express Boat (the regular service, not the tourist boat) from Bangkok’s Central Sathorn pier to the end of the line at Pakkred. It operates exactly like a bus service on regular schedules.
Then you can hop on a songthaew (pickup truck bus) from the Pakkret riverside market car park (under the bridge) to Soi Sukprasarn 2, better known to all as Soi Wat Ku, and it’s just a short ride away. It’s a quick trip that takes you from the busy riverfront to a place where history feels alive.
Where do you want to go next?